NBA's David Stern was in town — to watch a playoff game

NBA commissioner David Stern’s visit to the BMO Harris Bradley Center April 28 apparently had more to do with watching the league’s most exciting team — the Miami Heat — play the Milwaukee Bucks than discussing the future of the downtown Milwaukee arena.

Stern was shown on the ABC telecast of the game and he participated in an interview with the network. He did spend time with the Bucks front-office staff and representatives of the BMO Harris Bradley Center.

“Commissioner Stern’s visit was related to the playoff game and not to any arena issues,” Bucks spokesman Dan Smyczek told me via email Monday. “He arrived shortly before tip-off and departed immediately after the game.”

Bradley Center board chairman Marc Marotta told me Monday he arrived at the game in the fourth quarter due to a delayed flight and didn’t get to meet with Stern. Marotta said BMO Harris Bradley Center president Steve Costello met briefly with Stern. Costello did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

“There wasn’t a formal meeting to talk about the future of a new arena or the future of the Bradley Center,” Marotta told me.

The NBA is putting pressure on the Bucks and Milwaukee to build a new arena to replace the 25-year-old BMO Harris Bradley Center. The Bucks signed a lease extension through the 2016-2017 season and will not extend further unless a new arena is built or well on the way to becoming a reality.

The Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce is the only local organization that has taken action on reviewing Milwaukee’s arena needs. An MMAC committee will begin meeting in May or June to discuss the topic, MMAC president Tim Sheehy told me Monday.

Sheehy did not attend the Bucks game due to a personal commitment and did not meet with Stern.

Marotta said the Bucks leadership was disappointed with the sub-.500 season and quick exit from the playoffs.

The Milwaukee-area community has demonstrated it will support a winning Bucks team, he said.

Marotta said other teams in small NBA markets have performed well on the court and in attendance, including Indianapolis, Oklahoma City and Memphis.